Malawi new coach Ng’onamo calls for support: ‘Expect better results’

New Malawi national football team caretaker coach Eddingtone Ng’onamo has revealed that he always hoped the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) would offer him the prestigious position and has accepted his role.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) announced on Wednesday that Ng’onamo will succeed Kinnah Phiri while Patrick Mabedi and Ernest Mtawali are his right hand men at the ‘Flames’.

Speaking in a telephone interview with Nyasa Times on Thursday, Ng’onamo was clearly delighted to be handed the chance to boss the Malawi national team, and confirmed that he had been crossing his fingers and hoping for the job appointment as Malawi coach.

“I’m a very happy man to be offered the chance to coach my country,” said Ng’onamo, who until his appointment was mentor for a local soccer power house Big Bullets.

Ng'onamo: Delighted to be appointed Malawi coach but pleads for support
Ng’onamo: Delighted to be appointed Malawi coach but pleads for support

The coach said he will continue to be drilling Bullets until they wrap of their fixtures in the TNM Super League campaign where they have a chance of claiming the title.

Ng’onamo was however quick to call for the support of the fans and FAM.

“I’m looking forward to the task ahead. Our aim is to improve the team and get good results. I’m hoping that FAM will give me the support in terms of resources to have friendly matches. We need the support of everyone including fans to get behind the team,” said Ng’onamo.

He praised the caliber of his backroom staff, saying “in Mabedi and Mtawali I have a perfect team. We will strategize to make sure the team is well prepared for the challenge ahead. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Added the Malawi caretaker coach: “We will make a very good change.”

Asked to comment on his predecessor Kinnha Phiri, sacked on ground of poor performance, Ng’onamo said he has “great respect” for Kinnah and pointed out that “he didn’t have support especially on friendlies. Money now is a problem, I don’t know how much are they going to support me.”

According to Ng’onamo, FAM chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda has assured him of support to his programmes.

On what contract he has signed, Ng’onamo said he has not yet put pen to paper on the contract, saying he will meet FAM officials again on Tuesday next week to finalise the terms.

FAM said the offer is valid up until the end of the 2013World Cup qualifiers in September 2013.

The new coaches’ most immediate challenges are World Cup qualifiers starting with a trip to Namibia late next month. Malawi also travels to Nigeria before welcoming Namibia.

During the interview, Ng’onamo touted himself as coach with wealth of experience under his belt having served as a deputy to coach Kim Splidsboel, assistant to Allan Gillet,  then took over the Flames in stand-in role in 2002 overseeing goalless draw with Ethiopia and 2-1 beating of Zimbabwe.

He also said he has UEFA ‘B’ coaching licence, a preparatory ‘A’ licence, saying “I hope FAM will send me to UK to finish the A licence course.”

Other credentials to Ng’onamo are; diploma in coaching from Germany, two diplomas from Denmark, he is an Instructor of Confederation of African Football.

He also served as technical director at FAM. Ng’onamo coached Mighty Wanderers FC before where he helped it to climb from unfamiliar mid-table position to pole position and now he has transformed Bullets to reclaim its old glory as country’s soccer giants.

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